Professionally installed fabric or upholstery wall coverings, such as the FABRITRAK system, are receiving the attention of many interior designers and homeowners as an alternative to wall paper or paint. These systems facilitate installation of variety of textures, colors, patterns, and styles of fabrics. The fabrics can be installed over clean or marred wall surfaces without regard to their condition. The system is flexible, although the cost is a primary disadvantage to the homeowner. The FABRITRAK system uses a unique wall-mounted locking channel. A professional installer can stretch a fabric over the framework of FABRITRAK channels, and can lock the fabric in place to conceal the channels. The resulting wall exhibits acoustical advantages and improved energy efficiency. Unfortunately, such systems are quite expensive for retrofit application, because the channels must be installed accurately by a professional. The locking channels are expensive to manufacture, and the labor involved with installation makes the FABRITRAK system quite expensive. An affordable system for easy retrofit for the homeowner -"do-it-yourselfers"-, which is quick and easy to understand and to install, remains a goal of the fabric wall industry.